Well there's an adorable dog, you see. And some really cute cardboard robots. Do you really need anything else?

Well, the critic in me says yes, you do.

"Dog Powered Robot" took the Fringe Festival by storm at last year's festival with its zany evil genius Mr. No Bones, its clever pop-culture references and mostly, of course, that dog. This year, though, the DPR team is resting on its laurels with "Dog Powered Robot and the Subsequent Adventure."

The script just isn't as sharp -- though I loved a reference to ABC's convoluted sci-fi series "Lost." And the villain isn't as visually interesting as floppy No Bones.

Most won't care a bit about those things as long as the lovably low-tech visual stimulation comes fast and furious, which it does. And there are fun moments: A Dumpster channels the Disney film "Aladdin" and gets slapped back with a saucy "You are not the Cave of Wonders, robot in the rough!"

Yes, the critic in me thinks "Dog Powered Robot and the Subsequent Adventure" should have been more engrossing. But the dog lover in me just has a dopey grin on my face.

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